'Plan B': Shake-up coming for King Charles' slimmed-down monarchy, royal expert predicts

Royal expert Katie Nicholl says "there's got to be a plan B" for the British royal family amid King Charles' continuing cancer treatment and despite his plans for a slimmed down monarchy.

"We may have to look at something different," Nicholl told The Sun's Royal Exclusive.

"I think the King's whole idea of a slimmed-down monarchy is something that is having to be readdressed because of circumstances within the royal family

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Key members of the British royal family have also battled illnesses and injuries this past year.

Princess Anne turns 75 in August, and despite being one of the busiest members of the British royal family, she won't be able to keep up the pace forever.

Then there's the Prince and Princess of Wales; however, Kate only completed cancer treatment herself at the end of 2024 and Prince William reduced his duties during that year.

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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are settled in the US with their children, with no plans or desire to return to the UK.

Prince Edward and wife Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, have also stepped up as needed.

Queen Camilla, 77, also had a busy schedule in 2024, but contracted pneumonia at the end of the year which saw her take time out to recover.

Nicholl says Beatrice, 36, and Eugenie, 34, are ideal.

"When you look at Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, they've been very much encouraged to go and live independent lives of the royal family, to earn their own living, not to be dependent on taxpayer funded security, not to be a drain, I suppose, on the public purse.

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"So it would be a step in a different direction," she explained.

"I think possibly it is being looked at."

A key sign "plan B" is already in play is Princess Beatrice's presence at the royal family's public appearance on Christmas Day with husband Eduardo Mapelli Mozzi and stepson Wolfie, eight.

Both Beatrice and Eugenie also joined Prince William, Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall at the Buckingham Palace garden party earlier in 2024 while the Princess of Wales was absent from duties.

Although both royal sisters work fulltime and are parents to young children, which could limited their ability to take on more royal duties.

Princess Beatrice is mum to Sienna, three and is pregnant with her second child. Princess Eugenie and husband Jack Brooksbank are parents to two young sons – August, three, and Ernest, one.

It may be that they continue to be called up on as needed. Just what that need will be isn't known.

King Charles and Queen Camilla have scheduled a number of appearances in 2025. Little is known of his health and the form of cancer he is being treated for hasn't been disclosed.

Charles, 76, most recently travelled to Poland joining European royals to mark the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau German concentration camp in Brzezinka, Poland, on January 27.

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